Car buying advice?

[KiwiHopeful]

Any words of wisdom before I start looking? Am I going to get screwed no matter what, as I would in the US, or is car buying different here, too?

Our house happens to be within a km of about 100 different used car lots--and that's no exaggeration. Should I just put on my hiking boots and hit them all? Should I search around on AutoTrader (cars on TradeMe seem to be very dear)? Or should I take up the offer of the guy who runs the car rental agency we're using and let him call some wholesalers and find me one?

Argh!

[Taffy]

Not sure how different it is from the US, but when you buy a car from a dealer here, you are protected under the Consumer Guarantees Act, so if there's a problem within 90 days, the dealer is liable for repairs (provided you didn't cause the problem!). TradeMe is over-rated for cars, private sellers try to acheive dealership prices, only you have no come back. Buying privately can also mean buying someone elses problems! Most cars I've gone to see on Trademe have been fit for scrap, but you never know your luck!

Getting the rental guy to find you one from a wholesaler could be OK, because depending on the wholesaler, the vehicle will have just gone through import compliance, which checks a lot more things than your average WOF. There again though, no comeback if there's anything majorly wrong.

[duane1x]

KH have you looked at Welcome to Turners Auctions

Also you might get some piece of mind by going with their certified cars. In addition to getting some warranty time, I do think the dealer puts their better cars into their certified program.

[KiwiHopeful]

Thanks for the advice, Taffy and Duane. I guess it's pretty much fundamentally like it is in the US--buyer beware!

[Duke]

I remember seeing and ad for a 84 chevy silveraldo for 12000, and a beamer right next to it for 4000...wierd prices, I would think picking a popular car in NZ would work fine. I saw a BMW 1-series at Larnarch Castle, it was sweet!

[KiwiHopeful]

I won't go into too many details about how I acquired it, but I was able to land a nice Toyota Camry Gracia cheap, thanks to Brent from the car rental agency. As he said, it's all about who you know. ;)

[kokopeli]

I won't go into too many details about how I acquired it, but I was able to land a nice Toyota Camry Gracia cheap, thanks to Brent from the car rental agency. As he said, it's all about who you know. ;)

Mate, was that the nice silver one with roof rails or did you have to give that one back?

[KiwiHopeful]

The silver one when back. The one I've acquired is 2 models up from it, with a 2.5 V-6 and a moon roof. I think it looks more like a station wagon that a grandpa would drive, though--you know, the kind like when we were kids we could sleep in the back!

You'll probably get to see it today. Evan keeps asking about Poncho, who in his absence has become his 'best friend ever.'